Introduction Screen
When you click on the SPESSA icon, the Introduction screen will automatically appear. General information concerning SPESSA is available from this screen.

During any session, you can return to the introduction screen by clicking on the Introduction Screen button.
Country/Country Group Selection Screen
This screen allows you to select and/or de-select countries and/or country groups. You can also match countries to their country groups by right-clicking on the country name. You can return to this screen from anywhere in the program by clicking the Countries button.

This screen has four sections:
- Map of sub-Saharan Africa;
- Hierarchical list of country groups and countries;
- Boxes for selected countries, groups and indicators; the buttons across the bottom of the screen.
Map of sub-Saharan Africa
Moving your mouse over the map provides the name of the country that is currently under the mouse cursor. Clicking once on the map of a country selects the country and turns the country's map in red; clicking a second time de-selects it. You may select as many countries as you want. You can also match countries to their country groups by right-clicking on the map of the country.
Hierarchical list of country groups and countries
Country groups (for sub-Saharan Africa and the world) and countries of sub-Saharan Africa are listed in hierarchical and alphabetical order in the top right-hand Box of the Country/Country Group Selection Screen. Clicking on a plus sign [+] next to a country group name, expands that country group to list all countries (or sub-country groups) within that country group. Clicking on a minus sign [-] next to a country group name collapses the list and hides all the countries (or sub-country groups) within that country group. Clicking once on a country group name that is not expanded selects that country group; clicking a second time de-selects that country group. Clicking once on a country group name that is expanded selects only the countries (or sub-country groups) within that country group but not the country group itself; clicking a second time on the same country group name de-selects the countries (or sub-country groups) within that country group. Clicking once on a country name in this list selects the country; clicking a second time de-selects it. You may select as many countries and/or country groups as you want. You can also match countries to their country groups by right-clicking on the country's name.
Boxes for selected countries, groups and indicators
This section of the screen contains three boxes, which list the Countries, Country Groups and Indicators you have selected so far. You can de-select your choices here using the 'Clear' and 'Clear All' buttons within each box. The 'Clear' button clears only those selections that you highlight with your mouse in the corresponding box.
Buttons across the bottom of the screen
This button allows you to return to the Introduction screen where you can access the text introducing this program.
Click this button to go to the Indicator Selection screen. On that screen, you can select and/or de-select indicators from a hierarchical, alphabetic list of variables.
This button functions only when you have already selected at least one country and/or country group AND at least one indicator. Once these have been selected, clicking this button takes you to the View Data screen where you can view, print, copy, and export the data.
This button allows you to open a previously saved Scenario file, or save the current Scenario to a Scenario file for later opening. A Scenario is the set of countries, country groups, indicators and graph settings currently selected for data viewing. When opening a Scenario file, the current settings for countries, country groups, indicators and graph style will be replaced by the settings found in the chosen Scenario file. All Scenario files have an name extension of "AFE".
This button allows you to open a new or existing Data Set file or copy the current Data Set file under a different name. Data Set files contain user-defined values for specific country (group)/indicator variables, that are different from the original data values for those variables. When a variable's data value is edited, the spreadsheet cell containing the edited value has a yellow background to indicate that it is a user-defined value. Different user-defined data values may be saved to different Data Set files.
Click this button to exit the program at any time
This button provides you with help text.
Indicator Selection Screen
This screen allows you to select indicators, clear the selections you have made and access further information about the indicators and indicator groups.

You can return to this screen from anywhere in the program by pressing the Indicators button.
This screen has five sections:
- Countries Selected box
- Groups Selected box
- Indicators Selected box
- Indicator Selection box
- The buttons across the bottom of the screen
Countries Selected box
This box displays a list of the countries that you have selected. The Clear All button allows you to clear all of your country selections. The Clear button clears only those selections that you highlight with your mouse in the adjacent box.
Groups Selected box
This box displays a list of the country groups that you have selected. The 'Clear All button allows you to clear all of your country group selections. The Clear button clears only those selections that you highlight with your mouse in the adjacent box.
Indicators Selected box
This box displays a list of the indicators (in abbreviated form) you have selected. The Clear All button allows you to clear all of your indicator selections. The Clear button clears only those selections that you highlight with your mouse in the adjacent box.
Indicator Selection box
This box lists the indicator groups and specific indicators in hierarchical and alphabetical order. Clicking on a plus sign [+] next to an indicator group expands that group to list all indicator sub-groups or indicators within that group. Clicking on a minus sign [-] next to an indicator group name collapses all the sub-groups or indicators within that group. Note that only specific indicators (not groups) can be selected. Clicking once on an indicator group name that is expanded selects all indicators within that group; clicking a second time on the same group name de-selects the indicators within that group. Clicking once on an indicator name in this list selects the indicator; clicking a second time de-selects it. You may select as many indicators as you want.
Buttons across the bottom of the screen
This button allows you to return to the Introduction screen where you can access the text introducing this program.
Click this button to go to the Country/Country Group Selection screen. In that screen, you can select and/or de-select countries and/or country groups either from a map or from a hierarchical list of countries and country groups.
This button functions only when you have already selected at least one country and/or country group AND at least one indicator. Once these have been selected, clicking this button takes you to the View Data screen where you can view, print, copy, and export the data.
This button allows you to open a previously saved Scenario file, or save the current Scenario to a Scenario file for later opening. A Scenario is the set of countries, country groups, indicators and graph settings currently selected for data viewing. When opening a Scenario file, the current settings for countries, country groups, indicators and graph style will be replaced by the settings found in the chosen Scenario file. All Scenario files have an name extension of ".AFE".
This button allows you to open a new or existing Data Set file or copy the current Data Set file under a different name. Data Set files contain user-defined values for specific country (group) / indicator variables, that are different from the original data values for those variables. When a variable's data value is edited, the spreadsheet cell containing the edited value has a yellow background to indicate that it is a user-defined value. Different user-defined data values may be saved to different Data Set files.
Click this button to exit the program at any time.
This button provides you with help text.
View Data Screen
In this screen, you can view your data both in graph and spreadsheet form, manipulate the graph type and features, and print, copy, or export the data. Data values may also be edited and saved to a separate Data Set file. The name of the currently opened Data Set file is shown in the title bar of this screen.

This screen has five sections:
- The toolbar across the top
- The drop-down boxes in the upper-right
- The graph
- The spreadsheet
- The buttons across the bottom
Toolbar across the top
Gives you the option to return to the selection screen, clearing your selections.
Exports the data to a variety of file formats listed in the File Type drop-down box.
Toggles the screen so that you view the data and the graph side-by-side (Tall), or the graph above the data (Wide).
Prints either the data or the current graph.
Copies the data or the current graph to the Windows Clipboard.
Exchanges areas with variables (x- and y- axis) in the graph.
The Drop-Down Boxes
The Drop-Down Boxes enable you to manipulate the graph type and features.
The Graph
The graph displays the indicators in a graphic form. To graph a different indicator, click on the name of the indicator you want in the spreadsheet section. To manipulate the graph style and features, use the drop-down boxes. The small button in the upper-right corner of the graph section with a plus sign maximizes the graph to full-screen. The button changes to a minus sign when in full-screen mode and allows you to return to the previous view. The order in which you have selected the countries/country groups and indicators is the order in which they will appear in the graph and spreadsheet. To change the order, return to the selection screens, de-select your choices, and choose them in the order you want them to appear on the graph or spreadsheet.
The Spreadsheet
The spreadsheet displays the data in a spreadsheet form. To select/deselect graphing of different indicators, click on the abbreviation of the indicator, in the Indicators column, to toggle the graph state for that indicator. Indicators selected for graphing will be shown with the indicator abbreviation in blue. Use the horizontal and vertical scroll bars to scroll through the rows and columns of the spreadsheet. The small button in the upper-right corner of the spreadsheet section with a plus sign maximizes the graph to full-screen. The button changes to a minus sign when in full-screen mode and allows you to return to the previous view.
The spreadsheet and graph data may be sorted according to the data for a particular country (group), by clicking on the country (group) button above a data column for a country (group). Clicking once will sort the data in ascending order; clicking a second time will sort the data in descending order.
Buttons Across the Bottom
This button allows you to return to the Introduction screen where you can access the text introducing this program.
Click this button to go to the Country/Country Group Selection screen. In that screen, you can select and/or de-select countries and/or country groups either from a map or from a hierarchical list of countries and country groups.
Click this button to go to the Indicator Selection screen. On that screen, you can select and/or de-select indicators from a hierarchical, alphabetic list of variables.
This button allows you to open a previously saved Scenario file, or save the current Scenario to a Scenario file for later opening. A Scenario is the set of countries, country groups, indicators and graph settings currently selected for data viewing. When opening a Scenario file, the current settings for countries, country groups, indicators and graph style will be replaced by the settings found in the chosen Scenario file. All Scenario files have an ".AFE" extension name.
This button allows you to open a new or existing Data Set file or copy the current Data Set file under a different name. Data Set files contain user-defined values for specific country (group) / indicator variables, that are different from the original data values for those variables. When a variable's data value is edited, the spreadsheet cell containing the edited value has a yellow background to indicate that it is a user-defined value. Different user-defined data values may be saved to different Data Set files.
Click this button to exit the program at any time.